Mubarak

[oddlots]

Anyone watching this? He keeps referring to himself in the 3rd person: "This has nothing to do with Hosni Mubarak."

Wasn't there a major league baseball player that used to do this? I think his name was Ricky something. It'd be comical if it weren't getting so serious.

I swear the man is mentally ill.

[BigBagel]

Re: Mubarak

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apa0nG1OfUc

It's like the "Jimmy" episode on Seinfeld. Jimmy always referred to himself in the third person.

[Mega]

Re: Mubarak

The West wish to take the Cannel, Is-real wants his 80 million people to fight Iran............I think BOTH are in for a bitter dis-a-point-ment

[Chomsky]

Re: Mubarak

Rickey Henderson.

[metalman]

Re: Mubarak

Rickey Henderson.

Rickey Henderson w/$80b because the world's superpower backed him for 30 yrs.

[Thailandnotes]

Re: Mubarak

Pronouns in Thai...

"One of the most common ways for women to speak about themselves is by using their first names instead of any pronoun, referring to themselves in the third person. Though men can do this also, it's not very common and sounds a bit effeminate so it's not a good habit to get in to."

[oddlots]

Re: Mubarak

From Robert Fisk today:

"Last night, a military officer guarding the tens of thousands celebrating in Cairo threw down his rifle and joined the demonstrators, yet another sign of the ordinary Egyptian soldier's growing sympathy for the democracy demonstrators. We had witnessed many similar sentiments from the army over the past two weeks. But the critical moment came on the evening of 30 January when, it is now clear, Mubarak ordered the Egyptian Third Army to crush the demonstrators in Tahrir Square with their tanks after flying F-16 fighter bombers at low level over the protesters. Many of the senior tank commanders could be seen tearing off their headsets – over which they had received the fatal orders – to use their mobile phones. They were, it now transpires, calling their own military families for advice. Fathers who had spent their lives serving the Egyptian army told their sons to disobey, that they must never kill their own people."

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion...t-2211287.html

The idea that that order may have been given completes the picture of utter delusion of Mubarak and his cabal. I can barely imagine what the world would look like if it had been followed.

[flintlock]

Re: Mubarak

I also noticed the tank crewmen seemed very friendly with the crowd. Later many tanks seemed abandoned. In most circumstances like this, a leader will have some "elite" units that are fiercely loyal, while the average line soldier is not.

Perhaps some info on this could be learned on this site, which in the past I've used with some success.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...ypt/index.html

I was a little surprised to see Abrams tanks moving through the streets. I know we give them military support, but how wise is it to arm an Arab state with 1000(albeit downgraded) of some of the best tanks in the world? And given the current instability, how soon before we see some of these in the hands of Hamas or similar organizations? I can see why Israel is upset by all of this.

[karim0028]

Re: Mubarak

From Robert Fisk today:

"Last night, a military officer guarding the tens of thousands celebrating in Cairo threw down his rifle and joined the demonstrators, yet another sign of the ordinary Egyptian soldier's growing sympathy for the democracy demonstrators. We had witnessed many similar sentiments from the army over the past two weeks. But the critical moment came on the evening of 30 January when, it is now clear, Mubarak ordered the Egyptian Third Army to crush the demonstrators in Tahrir Square with their tanks after flying F-16 fighter bombers at low level over the protesters. Many of the senior tank commanders could be seen tearing off their headsets – over which they had received the fatal orders – to use their mobile phones. They were, it now transpires, calling their own military families for advice. Fathers who had spent their lives serving the Egyptian army told their sons to disobey, that they must never kill their own people."

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion...t-2211287.html

The idea that that order may have been given completes the picture of utter delusion of Mubarak and his cabal. I can barely imagine what the world would look like if it had been followed.

In Egypt military service is compulsory... They are the people... No way it would have happened... Everyone is in the same boat!

[oddlots]

Re: Mubarak

On Mubarak's fortune:

A tourist in Cairo spots three photographs on the wall of a restaurant: one of Nasser, another of Sadat, and the third of Hosni Mubarak. He asks the owner who the first man is, and the owner tells him it's the man who overthrew the Egyptian monarchy and served as the country's president. "Who's the second man?" the tourist wants to know. "That's Anwar Sadat, our next president," comes the reply. "He made peace with Israel but was assassinated in 1981." Next the tourist wants to know who the third man is. "Him?" says the restaurant owner. "That's my business partner's father" - A popular joke in Egypt

[bagginz]

Re: Mubarak

Mubarak's finally seen sense:

Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down as president of Egypt.

"In an announcement on state TV, Vice-President Omar Suleiman said Mr Mubarak had handed power to the military.
It came as thousands massed in Cairo and other Egyptian cities for an 18th day of protest to demand Mr Mubarak's resignation.
Protesters responded by cheering, waving flags, embracing and sounding car horns. "The people have brought down the regime," they chanted.

Mr Suleiman said Mr Mubarak had handed power to the high command of the armed forces.

"In the name of God the merciful, the compassionate, citizens, during these very difficult circumstances Egypt is going through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down from the office of president of the republic and has charged the high council of the armed forces to administer the affairs of the country, he said."

Chalk one up for people power and one in the eye for tin pot dictators everywhere.

Now the work begins.

I do hope that the Egyptian people manage to create the far more equitable society that they deserve and that the transition will be as peaceful as possible.

Cheers,
bagginz